Boy Scouts rebuke 3 leaders

Organization cites protest activities

January 14, 2005|By Joseph Sjostrom, Tribune staff reporter.

Citing violations of Boy Scout rules and "un-Scoutlike" behavior, Chicago-area Scout officials suspended an adult volunteer leader and reprimanded another for acts related to a rally protesting council policies, according to the leaders and Scout officials.

The two leaders--and a third who was suspended--have been outspoken critics of the council's top officials and of a proposal by the council to sell part of its 7-square-mile campground in Michigan.

All three say the council is trying to silence criticism of Boy Scouts leadership and policies.

"I'm outraged that [the suspensions and warning] are being used to prevent us from expressing an opinion," said Ron Kulak, who was suspended for one year for violating a directive from a Scout official to not include Scouts in a September rally.

"It's ironic," he said. "You'd think the Boy Scouts of America would be guarding our constitutional right to stand up and promote our point of view."

John Hosty of Merrionette Park was reprimanded for mocking the merit badge program at the rally and elsewhere.

Francis Podbielski of Riverside was suspended for 90 days for obstructing a council employee at a Scout meeting in December.

The three received their punishments in certified letters sent last month and signed by the president of the Chicago Area Council's board of directors, a board member and the council's chief executive officer.

The Boy Scouts have deleted a link on their official Web site to a site maintained by a North Side unit that contained a written description of the suspension and reprimand.

"None of this should have been made public," said Ryan DiBernardo, a spokesman for the Chicago Area Council.

The area council includes Chicago, plus a few adjoining northwest suburbs and 17 south and west suburbs.

Leaders and adult volunteers in the council have been divided in recent months over plans by the council's board to sell part of the Owasippe Scout Reservation, the council's 7-square-mile campground in Michigan, and over election of the council's officers and 57-member board of directors. The slate of board candidates--composed mostly of incumbents--has been rejected three times by volunteers with voting status in the council.

The three who were disciplined dispute the reasons why they were punished.

According to the letter Kulak received, the Chicago Ridge resident was suspended for "promotion and encouragement of youth involvement" at the Sept. 4 rally, a violation of a directive from Scout board member Mark J. Linse.

DiBernardo said the directive to Kulak was verbal. Kulak, 54, an assistant leader of a North Side Boy Scout troop and an adviser to South Side Scout groups, said Linse had raised the issue at an unrelated meeting of Scout leaders before the rally but did not issue any orders.

DiBernardo said Linse's order was based on a Boy Scouts of America rule that prohibits involvement in partisan or political events as organized Scouting.

"The rally was considered partisan, hence the problem with the kids being there," DiBernardo said.

Kulak said he, Hosty and other organizers of the rally distributed fliers and sent e-mails to other Boy Scouts leaders saying "Scouts and Parents Welcome" and "Uniforms Preferred but Optional" and "Not an Officially Sanctioned BSA Activity."

"We invited everybody to come," Kulak said. "In the case of youths, it's a parental decision. Kids can't just leave the house and go downtown on their own."

Hosty, 38, received a letter stating he had made a "mockery of the merit badge program and [made] misleading statements" on merit badge requirements at the rally and elsewhere. It warned him that such behavior in the future could result in revocation of his membership.

Hosty said he indicated from the podium that Scouts could use their attendance at the rally, or their interest in the campground, to fulfill certain merit badge requirements.

"I don't know how I mocked or misled, so I don't know how I could modify my behavior except to not open my mouth," said Hosty, an assistant leader of a Southwest Side troop. He said he would continue to speak out on issues he considers important.

"I'm trying to teach the American way to my son and daughter, who are both in Scouting," Hosty said.

Podbielski received a letter suspending his membership for 90 days for bumping a council staff member and blocking the staffer's path at a meeting on Dec. 1.

Podbielski denied that he jostled or bumped anyone but conceded that he blocked the way of a staffer who was approaching a newspaper reporter because he thought the reporter was going to be ejected. Those attending the meeting said no one interfered with reporters after the meeting.

The council staff and board " want us to go away," said Podbielski, a Blue Island troop's representative to the council. "We are asking questions that they don't want to have to answer. ... I don't know of any democracy or any corporation where the leaders could be voted out three times and still keep their positions."

Richard Gudmundson, assistant leader of a Boy Scout troop on the North Side, said others have spoken about the actions but have no specific knowledge of it.

"I am concerned as a Scout leader that if I express my opinion, it could result in revocation of my registration," Gudmundson said.